Process of molding faced concrete units



Patented May 31,1927. g 7 r 1,630,590

UNITED STATES PATENT orricn.

PROCESS OF MOLDING FACED CONCRETE UNITS.

No Drawing. Application filed November 22, 1926. Serial No. 150,151.

This invention relates to the process of gate, water is sprayed over the 'unsubmolding faced concrete units by partly submerged portion of the aggregate at this merging the aggregate in mercury before stage of the process, until it forms a shallow pouring the body of the units, and has for layer upon the mercury, unless it is found its objects, first, the elimination of the mess that the fluidity of the concrete mixture sity of cleaning the units, second, the inrenders the addition of water unnecessary, troduction of a more artistic class of facin which event the concrete mixture is careings, and third, the production of facings fully poured next following the pouring of that are as permanent as the units themthe mercury, the mold is filled, and the mass 10 selves. is left to harden.

Since the use of mercury constitutes the When the unit has hardened suficiently principal feature of this process, it is imto withstand handling the vertical part of portant that the part of the mold coming the mold surrounding the unit is separated in contact with the mercury be made of from the bottom part of the mold containiron, or of such other material as will not ing the mercury, by inserting an edged inalloy with or contaminate the mercury, and strument between the two parts of the mold, since mercury, being a heavy liquid, tends the unit is slowly lifted upward, and its constantly to adjust its surface to a horicuring continued in the usual manner. The zontal plane, it is important that the mold mercury, draining clean from the face of be placed in a level position, and remain unthe unit, remains in the bottom part of the disturbed until the unit is entirely solid. mold, and may be used over and over, in- 60 In this process the aggregate is arranged definitely. on the bottom of the mold just as it is to This process gives facings that require appear in the face of the finished unit, and no cleaning. The joints thus obtained are 2 mercury is carefully poured into the mold remarkably smooth and evenly sunken, givuntil it submerges the portion of the aging the unit an unusually artistic appeargregate that is to show when the unit is ance. And since the concrete miXturecomfinished. pletely surrounds and encases allportions If the aggregate used is not sufliciently of the aggregate not submerged in mercury, heavy to cause the desired submergence facings thus produced are most lasting.

without floating or moving. it should be I claim: 70

weighted down by a second layer of ag The process of molding faced concrete gregate, or lightly attached to the bottom units which consists in placing aggregate of the mold by means of a coating of gum, in the bottom of a mold, pouring in sumglue or wax applied to the bottom of the cient mercury to partly submerge the agmold. gregate and filling the mold with a concrete 7 In order to strengthen the union between mixture. the concrete mixture and the aggregate, and

to drive out the air from around the aggre VILLIAM ROSCOE TUCKER. 

